England's David Carter, without a European Tour victory in nine years, emerged from a "deep, dark hole" to lead the KLM Open at the halfway stage.
Carter carded a second consecutive 65 at Kennemer Golf Club for a 10-under-par total of 130, two shots ahead of Sweden's Alexander Noren, New Zealand's Steve Alker and local favourite Joost Luiten.
The 35-year-old won the Irish Open in 1998 and lifted the World Cup with Nick Faldo in New Zealand later the same year, but has not finished inside the top 75 on the Order of Merit since 1999.
Born in Johannesburg but now based in Gothenburg, Carter had to return to the qualifying school in 2003 and finished 27th in the final event of last season to keep his card by less than £2,700.
He faces another battle this year, currently occupying a lowly 186th on the money list with only the top 115 guaranteed to keep their playing rights for 2008, but victory here on Sunday would instantly secure a two-year tour exemption and the first prize of €265,000.
"It's great to be leading, this is what we play the game for," Carter said. "Of course I'm going to be nervous tomorrow but I'm nervous every time I play and that's a good thing.
"I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and enjoy it - after all, how many times have I led a tournament in my career? It's not many."
Luiten is showing he can make the grade on the full European Tour after this year's double Challenge Tour winner equalled the course record 64. Luiten, currently third on the Challenge Tour Rankings, is an exciting talent who can give the home fans plenty to cheer about over the weekend.
David Higgins fired three birdies in a flawless 67 for a halfway total of 135.
Gary Murphy also made the weekend after a second round 71 left him eight shots back on 138.
Damien McGrane missed the cut by three shots after a 73 for 143.
Bernhard Langer's son Stefan, a 17-year-old amateur who normally plays off plus one, added a 91 to his opening 98 to end his first pro event on 49 over par.
PGA TOUR:KJ Choi holed out from the fairway on the 350-yard par four seventh for eagle on his way to a two-shot lead early in the second round of the Barclays Classic yesterday.
Choi, who took advantage of rain-softened conditions at Westchester Country Club with an opening 64, carded a 66 to stand at 12-under-par 130 in the opening event of the inaugural, season-ending FedExCup play-off series.
In second place behind the South Korean was Rich Beem. The American posted a 68. Two more shots back at 134 were overnight leader Rory Sabbatini of South Africa and American Steve Stricker.
Padraig Harrington, who opened with a level par 71, added a three-under-par 68 for a 139 total.
LET TOUR: World number six Suzann Pettersen gave a master class to her home fans during the first round of the SAS Masters in Norway.
The 26-year-old from Oslo posted a bogey-free eight-under-par 64 to lead the field by four strokes.
Germany's Anja Monke is in second on four under par after a 68, while three players are on three under par.
Rebecca Coakley is best of the Irish after a first round 71. Claire Coughlan shot 74 with Hazel Kavanagh two back on 76 and Martina Gillen on 81.
AMATEUR: Co Louth's Simon Ward is the leading Irish player heading into the final round of the European Amateur Championship in Berlin this morning.
Ward returned a level par 72 for a 54-hole aggregate of 217, but is 12 shots behind England's Ben Evans, who leads on 205.
Richard Kilpatrick is on 220 while Portstewart teenager Paul Cutler, after a 71 yesterday, is on the 221 mark. Shane Lowry (223), Peter O'Keefe and Stephen Grant (226) and Niall Kearney (228) are way behind.
